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The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) recently concluded a regional meeting focused on agricultural trade, regulation, and environmental policy and featuring national and global agriculture leaders. In Sun Valley, Idaho Agriculture Director Celia Gould hosted the annual meeting of the Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture, which includes agriculture directors from 15 western states and territories.

Gould was pleased to host a historic meeting with Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lawrence MacAulay, who addressed the importance of the agricultural trade relationship enjoyed by the U.S. and Canada. Speaking to trade as the engine of shared prosperity between the two countries, Minister MacAulay called the significant trade relationship strong, balanced and beneficial. He noted that two-thirds of states in the U.S. count Canada as their No. 1 trade partner, and spoke to the opportunities in North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. “It’s just under $50 billion, a lot of money. It’s also important to know that since NAFTA has come into play, it has quadrupled and we want to make sure it continues to grow.”

Leaders from several agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided agency updates and fielded questions from agriculture directors.